Linux on a Dell XPS 15 9350 (Touch)

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Index

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The Hardware

• 4th Generation Intel® Core™ i7-4702HQ @ 2.20GHz (8 Cores)
• 40 cm (15.6") LED Backlit Touch Display with Truelife and QHD+ resolution (3200 x 1800)
• 16GB DDR3L 1600MHz (8GBx2)
• 7200RPM Hard Drive up to 500GB2
• NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 750M 2GB GDDR5
• Intel Corporation 4th Gen Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller
• Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260 + Bluetooth 4.0
• 61 WHr, 6-Cell Battery (integrated)
• HDMI and mini-DisplayPort
• Stereo speakers, combo headphone/microphone jack
• 3 USB 3.0, 1 USB 2.0, SD card reader`

similar to Dell Precision M3800

Installing Ubuntu 13.10

Installation caused no issues, however, certain components do not work out-of-the-box. Each component is described below. Installed Ubuntu 13.10 via USB. Installation Tips

You need to press F12 to choose the boot device, otherwise it goes into the Setup Windows 8 Screen

By default the Hot-Keys are active instead of the function keys. (You can change that in the bios)

Press Fn+Esc to activate Function keys

Disable Secure Boot before installing Linux

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Video Card

The box has two video cards on onboard intel for 2D and one nVidia for 3D

Intel Video Card

 00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation 4th Gen Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 06)

Issues

• Need to install updated intel drivers
• https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/unity/+bug/1179210 - Autohide Launcher causes visual artifacts
• http://www.webupd8.org/2014/01/intel-linux-graphics-installer-103.html

Nvidia Video Card

02:00.0 3D controller: NVIDIA Corporation GK107M [GeForce GT 750M] (rev a1)

You need to install and configure bumbelbee
• https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bumblebee#Installation
• http://bumblebee-project.org/install.html
• http://wiki.belmankraul.com/linux/mint16_bumblebee ensure you have the "latest" 3.13 kernel, NVIDA WONT WORK!
• http://ubuntuhandbook.org/index.php/2014/02/install-upgrade-to-kernel-3-13-3-in-ubuntu-linux-mint/
• http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.13.3-trusty/
• http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline

  wget http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.13.3-trusty/linux-headers-3.13.3-031303-generic_3.13.3-031303.201402131842_amd64.deb
  
  wget http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.13.3-trusty/linux-headers-3.13.3-031303_3.13.3-031303.201402131842_all.deb
  
  wget http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.13.3-trusty/linux-image-3.13.3-031303-generic_3.13.3-031303.201402131842_amd64.deb
  
  sudo dpkg -i linux-headers-3.13.3-*.deb linux-image-3.13.3-*.deb
  

  sudo apt-get purge nvidia*
  sudo add-apt-repository -y ppa:xorg-edgers/ppa
  sudo add-apt-repository -y ppa:bumblebee/stable
  sudo add-apt-repository -y ppa:ubuntu-x-swat/x-updates 
  sudo add-apt-repository -y ppa:Ubuntu-x-swat
  cat /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ubuntu-x-swat-ppa-saucy.list | sed 's/saucy/trusty/g' > /tmp/ubuntu-x-swat-ppa-saucy.list; sudo mv /tmp/ubuntu-x-swat-ppa-saucy.list /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ubuntu-x-swat-ppa-saucy.list
  sudo apt-get update
  sudo apt-get install nvidia-331 nvidia-settings-331 bumblebee bumblebee-nvidia primus primus-libs primus-libs-ia32 virtualgl virtualgl-libs virtualgl-libs-ia32 
  sudo ln -s /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libturbojpeg.so.0 /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libturbojpeg.so
  sudo ln -s /usr/lib/nvidia-331/vdpau/libvdpau_nvidia.so.1 /usr/lib/vdpau/libvdpau_nvidia.so.1
  
  

  Bumbelbee Icon

  sudo apt-get install git
  mkdir git; cd git/
  git clone https://github.com/Bumblebee-Project/bumblebee-ui.git
  cd bumblebee-ui
  sudo ./INSTALL
  cd icons/
  mkdir ~/.icons
  cp * ~/.icons
  /usr/local/bin/bumblebee-indicator
  

  Sound Card

  00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset High Definition Audio Controller (rev 05) 

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    Touchpad / Touchscreen

    Bus 003 Device 002: ID 06cb:0ac3 Synaptics, Inc. 

    You need to install the QUADhd Touchscreen package from Dell
    

    wget http://linux.dell.com/files/ubuntu/contributions/synaptics-quadhd-touchscreen-quirk_1_all.deb
    sudo dpkg -i synaptics-quadhd-touchscreen-quirk_1_all.deb
    sudo apt-get -f install
    

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    Things to fix/configure/test

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    Resources

  • http://www.webupd8.org/2014/01/intel-linux-graphics-installer-103.html
  • http://xps-15.wikia.com/wiki/Linux
  • http://bumblebee-project.org/install.html
  • http://wiki.belmankraul.com/linux/mint16_bumblebee
  • http://en.community.dell.com/techcenter/b/techcenter/archive/2013/11/14/ubuntu-on-the-precision-m3800.aspx
  • http://en.community.dell.com/techcenter/b/techcenter/archive/2013/11/26/follow-up-ubuntu-on-the-precision-m3800.aspx
  • http://www.webupd8.org/2013/05/how-to-get-systray-whitelist-back-in.html

  • Fixing Indicator Icons that do not show up

      sudo add-apt-repository ppa:timekiller/unity-systrayfix
      sudo apt-get update
      sudo apt-get upgrade
    

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